Smile... Be charming... And never let them know you want them all dead...
A Courtesan of Rome is a Visual Novel part of the Choices: Stories You Play app. You play as a Gallic courtesan in Roman Republic seeking to reunite with her family amidst the turbulent political climate. Along the way, you must seduce your way among Roman officials and use your wiles to meet your ends.Contains examples of:
- Alpha Bitch: Xanthe is the haughty, catty rival courtesan who tries to make trouble for Arin.
- And There Was Much Rejoicing: After Arin tells Sabina that the former killed Legate Aquila or Marc Antony banished him, the latter celebrates by discarding his belongings in their house.
- Arranged Marriage: Sabina was forced to marry Legate Aquila by her father, and is utterly miserable as his wife as a result (to the point that she goes to the apothecary to ask for something to ensure she can't get pregnant by him).
- Artistic License – History: For the sake of the romance route, the story ignores that Cassius had a wife, Junia Tertia, and a son with her prior to his betrayal of Caesar.
- Bodyguard Crush: One of Arin’s love interests is her own bodyguard Syphax.
- Bury Your Gays: A flashback revealed that Cingerix’s lover Tallius died in the Roman raid against the Catauni.
- Canine Companion: Chapter 4 provides a premium option to adopt Marc Antony’s greyhound, with the default name being Artemis.
- Defeat as Backstory: The Catauni tribe was invaded and Arin and her family enslaved afterwards, which scattered them around Roman territory.
- Elite Man–Courtesan Romance: if you choose Cassius Longinus or Marc Antony as your Love Interest.
- Foregone Conclusion: Given that Julius Caesar was famously stabbed to death* , it was a safe bet that Arin's attempt to poison Caesar would ultimately fail.
- Gay Option: Sabina.
- Good Shepherd: In contrast to Iuna Pythia, Delphinia is a kindly priestess who regularly communes with Isis to ensure her family’s wellbeing.
- Hello, [Insert Name Here]: Like almost all Choices stories, the protagonist’s name can be renamed, with the default being “Arin”.
- Arin’s tribe can also be renamed, with the default being “Catauni”.
- Historical Domain Character: As expected from a historical fiction story, several characters are this: Mark Antony, Cassius Longinus, Julius Caesar, Cleopatra VII, and Marcus Junius Brutus.
- I Have Many Names: Isis is referred to as Ceres by the Romans and Tsirona by the Gauls.
- Inspiration Nod: As a story about a rebellion in the late Roman Republic, this book is partly inspired by Spartacus. Sure enough, some of the Senators explicitly compare Arin's rebellion to Spartacus's rebellion. Justified, as Spartacus was a real historical figure who the characters who the characters would have been aware of.
- Shout-Out:
- Chapter 19 allows Arin to wear the Unconquered Queen outfit. The armor and a brunette hairstyle makes her resemble Kassandra.
- Cleopatra VII's headdress looks exactly like the one worn by Elizabeth Taylor when she played her in Cleopatra.
- Snakes Are Sinister: Subverted with Laret, an asp Delphinia encounters in Chapter 10. According to Delphinia, asps are sacred to Isis, and Laret happens to act friendly towards her.
- Sweet Polly Oliver: A premium option in Chapter 7 allows Arin to disguise as a soldier to sneak into the Senate and influence its vote instead of merely eavesdropping on it.
- Switching P.O.V.: Besides Arin, we also get to play as her parents, Victus and Delphinia.
